Gigs of the Week

The best gigs, club nights and festivals across the UK with no booking fees, all in one place, every week.

We’ve drafted in the guys at DICE, to select their top ten picks for the next 7 days. Be they mind-expanding, breathtaking or absolutely essential, these are the shows you’ll be talking about for months to come.

London

Rat Boy

From Chelmsford in Essex, Rat Boy writes socially aware, tongue in cheek pop-rap anthems for the Snapchat generation with wit, charm, and a taste for trouble.His live sets are known to end in chaos with stage invasions, sweaty crowds, and a bodies falling over themselves as he pogo’s centre stage with wild delight. Taking in the pop side of Jamie T and the insight of Alex Turner, you’ll find tracks like Sign On stuck on repeat.

Now, fresh from releasing Move, a ’90s dance throwback with a killer hook, the hotly-tipped teen announces this absolutely huge gig at London’s Electric Brixton in May. Grab a ticket and fall into the disarray.

May 7th see’s Tiga welcome a true house music visionary and pioneer of the game, Laurent Garnier. The Frenchman’s revered reputation stems not only from his marathon sets and ability to pull any crowd in any direction, it’s also due to man’s esteemed knowledge of the scene. His iconic label, F Communications, has housed the likes of Mr Oizo, Jori Hulkkonen and Garnier’s masterful own work, which speaks for itself. Trust us, you don’t wanna miss this.

Kevin Morby

From his work in The Babies to playing bass in Woods, Kevin Morby has helped shape the sound of underground US indie for the past five years.

Moving to LA from New York, his debut record Harlem River brought in the talents of Tim Presley and Cate Le Bon, while recent follow up Still Life borrows her bassist H Hawkline for a stunning ride of Dylan-esque travel tales and glistening, laid back folk rock. Planning to release a new album in 2016, Morby plays this date at Oslo. Get ready to be swooned.

Bad Breeding

Described by The Guardian as “the best punk band in Britain using guitar/bass/drums/vox,” Bad Breeding have already built up quite the reputation. Their riffs are scathing, their vocals distorted, and live they’re an incendiary force. But as a band, they’re disillusioned with the world. They want you to know where they’re from and rather than sending out the usual spiel in a press release, they share facts about their hometown, Stevenage:

More Stevenage teenagers are getting pregnant than anyone else in the country according to the Office for National Statistics.

However, the number of conceptions there has fallen by when compared to statistics from 2011, when the town again recorded the highest rate in the country.

If you ever happen to actually be in Stevenage, Trip Advisor recommends Laser Kombat Park, giving it 4.5 stars. The Surma Tandoori serves onion bhajis that are, somewhat suspiciously, about the size of a large rat.

Get up close and personal with the band when they play at the Old Blue Last in May.

A$AP Nast

A$AP Nast, one of the founding members of A$AP Mob, is renowned for his bolshy lyrics and gritty delivery.

The quick witted MC has recently collaborated with the likes of Skepta and D Double E on Ladies Hit Squad, and his latest track Yamborghini High has been making all the right waves across the internet.

Live, he’s a monster. Expect him to tap into the A$AP classics when he take’s the reigns of XOYO in May. He’ll be joined on the night by selectors AJ Tracey, A.G The DJ, Martelo & Siobhan Bell.

Pumarosa

Indie dreamboats Pumarosa have a buzz that only a few artists get. It’s not all blogtalk, it’s genuine excitement from people who really care about good music and that’s down to a series of storming performances.

From Priestess, to Red and to Dragonfly, every track they’ve put out has offered something different. Melodic riffs collide with swooning vocals creating a sound that’s just undeniably addictive.

DIY say that they’re “perfectly rehearsed, capable of playing to crowds in the thousands,” so trust us when we say that this gig at the ICA in May is a must.

Manchester

Benjamin Francis Leftwich

Mellow crooner Benjamin Francis Leftwich blew everyone away with his debut LP, Last Smoke Before The Snowstorm. It was the culmination of stunning EPs and featured exquisite songwriting and and intricate instrumentation. Tracks like Pictures and Butterfly Culture swelled with the Yorkshire-born songwriters soft, dreamy production.

Now back after an extended absence, he’s poured his heart into his forthcoming second album that’s set to be released later in 2016. Catch the spellbinding solo artist at Night & Day Cafe in May.

Yung Lean

Ever since Yung Lean and his Sad Boys entourage emerged on the internet a couple of years back with the likes of “Ginseng Strip 2002, Grey Goose and Kyoto, it was clear the collective had created their own branch of modern day hip-hop.

Hazy productions, lean-inspired lyricism and an overriding family vibe runs through all of the young Swede’s work. Now, having just launched his very own clothing line, Yung Lean announces this showcase of his unmistakeable sound at Sound Control on May 7th.

Squarepusher

On Friday 6th May, the enigmatic Squarepusher brings his Shobaleader One group to Gorilla in Manchester, and you have to be there.

Shobaleader One’s thrilling Brighton and London debut shows last October were rapturously praised by both critics and fans alike, who marveled in hearing seminal Squarepusher classics brought to life by a smoking hot band of virtuosic, funky-as-hell musicians, including Mr Jenkinson himself.

Now, heading out on a three-city tour, Shobaleader One will take over Gorilla. Don’t miss out.

Riva Starr

Unfazed Events brings Snatch! records label boss Riva Starr back to Gorilla for a huge launch party on Saturday 7th May. Following on from his sold out show last year, it seems only right.

Since his huge hit “Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat” with Fatboy Slim in 2014 Riva has gone from strength to strength, with a number of tracks in the Beatport Top 100 charts, including his edit of DJ Roland Clark’s ‘House Nation’ & his remix of the smash hit ‘Chunky’ by Format B.